Destination Tokyo

Libby Clegg is a blind sprinter in the Paralympics GB team in Tokyo. Libby won double gold in Rio but since then has become a mum to Edward.

Libby reveals here here struggles over the last year after the Games got postponed last summer. She was at the peak of fitness last spring after appearing on Dancing on Ice. But has really found the last year hard - not being able to be with her training partners because of social distances and a lack of opportunity to compete.

Libby admits she is not where she'd like to be following an injury and her mental struggle. She wasn't selected for the Games, but got called up as a reserve. And she tells me how she really doubted her place in July and thought about pulling out. She turned to a doctor, sports psychologist and her partner Dan for help before deciding that she should take up the place. She's now happy and in a good place mentally.

That's it for the series. Many thanks for listening over the last 8 months and thanks to all you athletes for taking part.

Charlotte Moore ie a wheelchair basketball player for Paralympics GB. Tokyo will be her second Games after making her debut as a 17 year old in Rio.

She's been playing since she was 8 when she had a chance meeting whilst shopping with her mum at Sainsbury's when she was approached by the coach of a local wheelchair basketball team. She's never looked back from that chance meeting.

She's played lots of sport and even got to carry the Olympic Torch on the Torch Relay ahead of London 2012.

Charlotte talks about the extraordinary issues they've had as a squad during Covid which has limited severely the time they've been able to spend training together.

GB just missed out on a medal in Rio as they finished 4th. Charlotte's hoping it'll be at least one better this time!

Richard Whitehead is competing in the T61 200m at the Paralympics in Tokyo.

Richard won gold in London in 2012 and Rio 2016 but a hat-trick is going to be a challenge at the age of 45.

Richard talks to me from Japan and tells me about the atmosphere and conditions in the training camp.

Things have changed as Richard's been reclassified from T42 to T61 ,which is for double leg amputees. Richard feels this is to the detriment of para-athletics. It also means he can't now compete in a 100m as that event, which he won silver in rio, has been removed.

Richard has started a foundation to coincide with the Paralympics to help others with disabilities.

He also has his own podcast with Team GB footballer Ellen White called Track and Ball with a stellar guest list. Check it out! https://www.trackandball.co.uk/

Stef Reid will compete in the Long Jump for Paralympics GB and she starts this double header. Stef talks about life at the GB preparation camp and dealing with the Covid protocols.

She's been to 3 previous games and draws on her experiences to think about the weeks ahead. She also reveals, because of Covid bubbles, she's unlikely to be able to meet her partner Brent who competes for Canada.

Stef revealed when she was last on the podcast that she was about to study Executive Coaching at Henley Business School - and she talks about what's she's drawing from that.

I also chat to Stef's Loughborough based colleague Thomas Young who's a sprinter. This is the first Games for Thomas and it's great to hear the excitement from a rising star of the sport.

Today's guest is Hannah Cockroft, wheelchair racer for Paralympics GB.

Hannah has won 11 world titles and 5 Paralympic gold medals and she talks about the weight of expectation as she heads to her third Games.

She talks brilliantly about the moment she discovered sport and what it's taken to get to be top of the world.

And she now embraces the fact she is a role model and loves the thought of others being inspired to take up some sport.

Hannah says she is still loving sport and feels lucky to have the opportunities to compete. She says lockdown has shown that we need to make the most of every single second.

Thanks Hannah! Great chat.

Lauren Rowles is part of the rowing squad for Paralympics GB for the Tokyo Paralympics.

This is a really revealing chat with Lauren who found para-sport after becoming paralysed as a 13 year old. She was inspired by London 2012 and went on to win a gold medal at Rio just four years later.

But the last five years have been tough with a number of physial injuries and a really rough time with her mental health that sent her into a deep depression.

But she's worked hard on both physical and mental health and is in a great position to challenge for a medal again in Tokyo.

Big thanks to the Her Spirit Podcast for letting me use this interview. Check out Her Spirit on herspirit.co.uk - your friendly coach in your pocket. But also, I know you'll want to listen to the whole hour of Mel Marshall - she's quite brilliant. So please go to the Her Spirit Podcast too.

I work with Lousie Minchin and Annie Emmerson on the Her Spirit podcast and we were thrilled to have Mel Marshall as a guest during her post Olympic holiday.

Mel has turned into one of the world's most respected coaches. She's helped Adam Peaty to his domination and medal haul but also had other successes in Tokyo which was phenomenal for British Swimming.

She talked brilliantly about coaching in general, her approach to sport and Adam Peaty.

I'm back with a quick reflection on the Olympics before we head to a final preview of the Paralympics Games

Shona has been one of our regular contributors and she's brilliantly articulated all the doubts and concerns of the last six months or so.

She gives an inside track on what conditions were like in Tokyo and what winning a bronze medal means to the squad. You may be surprised after the Gold medal performance in Rio five years ago.

Shona talks about the emotions of the Games and gives a peek into her Tokyo diary.

Thanks for listening!

Here's a bonus edition

Beth Tweddle won a terrific bronze medal at the London Olympics. She's on the podcast to talk about a big participation event called I am Team GB which finishes with a weekend of special activities on 14/15th August.

Beth talks about her Olympic experiences and about the events.

You can find all the details at

Iamteamgb.com

That's it for our Olympic interviews - back in a couple of weeks with some Paralympic chats.

Thanks for listening!